Get a haircut and get a real job!

Does anyone still get a reference to "Get a Haircut" by George Thorogood & The Destroyers (circa 1993)? Well, regardless of whether you get the reference or not, I wanted to provide an update on how my job is going.

I've been a Network Technician with Emery Telcom for almost five months now and, at this point, I still like the job, my co-workers and the opportunity to learn new things and enjoy some task variety. Since my last blog post (yikes, its been a while), I've been to two training sessions. Once to Sunnyvale, CA (silicon valley) for training on the Cisco Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) and once to Boca Raton, FL for training on the MetaSwitch telephone switch that we use.

Regardless of what technology I'm dealing with, especially since most people neither know nor care about the specifics (at least that's what Leslie tells me though it sounds more like "would you please shut up? I don't care what that is"), I genuinely enjoy learning new things and especially enjoy having some responsibility in both technical and business aspects.

In addition to the cable modem system and phone switch I've also been working with monitoring and alarming equipment, server installations, battery replacements (yesterday, I replaced 20 batteries at about 100 lbs each) and a variety of other stuff. I (almost) always liked working for XL Cable doing electronics setup/tuning in cable systems because I got to use my brain, do some physical work and have some sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. While I'm still not GLAD I was laid off from my last job, I really didn't have any task variety, it was boring and I pretty much never had a sense of accomplishment or challenge and so I'm very glad to have the opposite situation now with Emery Telcom.

Price, UT still isn't as nice as Boise, ID and we've not yet managed to sell our home there (ugh - making payments on a house you don't live in plus paying rent on a place much smaller and not nearly as nice isn't fun) but its working out here. I enjoy going to work each day, I get some overtime that helps (slightly) make up for the drop in salary and our family is doing well (the kids don't really care where we are and Leslie seems to deal with it okay).

To ensure that this isn't an entirely boring blog post, I'll also share with you that my two training trips haven't been without a little fun. I had the chance to go running in both California and Florida (including running on the beach in Florida), tired In'N'Out Burger for the first time in California and then went snorkeling in Florida. The highlight of the Florida trip was definitely being stung by a jellyfish as I swam out from shore. A stinging/burning sensation for 45 minutes or so when it happened, followed by a RAGING headache the next day were the only side effects but I didn't let it ruin the fun and got to see tropical fish, a stingray, a lot more jellyfish and some pieces of a shipwreck. And no, there was no peeing on my arm to make the sting go away.

I just took my fatness for some fitness... and you should too!

I just took my fatness for some fitness and you should too. Well, you don't have to take MY fatness for some fitness but you should take your own.

So far this week, I've been running five days in a row and I'll be doing day six tomorrow. That shouldn't be a major feat but, I've really been slacking since I was laid off in March. In February of 2008, I weighed in at 229 lbs - I've got to make sure I don't let that happen again.

The History of My Fatness

I've been heavy all of my life with varying degrees of success in dealing with it. At the end of middle school, I got a job working at a lumber yard and spent the first two weeks of each summer shoveling horse manure for 8 hours a day(if you're ever looking for a job to brag about, shoveling wet horse poop all day is definitely the way to go) . That first summer, I also rode a ten speed bicycle 12 to 24 miles a day two or three times each week and managed to enter high school a bit thinner but certainly still heavier than I could have been. The next summer (between 9th & 10th grade), I again rode my bike several times a week and managed to stay in decent shape.

In the 9th grade, I gave the track team a try as a shot putter. I didn't run at all but ended up running the 800m (1/2 mile) at two races just so that I could go to the regional meet for the sake of the trip. You know you're a great shot putter when its suggested that you'll have a better chance getting to the regional meet as a ~170 lb kid doing a half mile sprint! The first time I ran the 800, I actually led the first lap and then "hit the wall" so bad I wanted to die or throw up (or die while throwing up since that worked out so well for Jimmy Hendrix) but at the end of the race, I had a huge endorphin rush and felt like Superman (assuming Superman ever had a moment when he was just happy to not be lying on the ground inhaling his own vomit) so it wasn't all bad.

At the start of 10th grade, my friend Raymond talked me into giving Cross Country a try. I'm still surprised that I tried it - or that I was dumb enough to do a 5k run on the first day in hiking style tennis shoes rather than actual running shoes. I also sat down and took a long break after the run and then was close to never walking again because I cramped up so bad!! You know what though? Aside from the horrific leg pain for three days after, I actually kind of enjoyed it. I ran (or you could say jogged if you compared my times with those of fast runners) cross country for three years after that. One of the few things I'm grateful for in regards to attending a small high school was that there weren't enough people who thought running eight miles a day and finishing where you started was so much fun that I wouldn't have a spot on the team.

I enjoyed cross country practice much more than the races. Once I was in pretty good shape, it was GREAT to do an eight mile run with friends and hold a conversation for most of it. At one point, I did a 14 mile run on my own carrying a walkman (yeah - portable TAPE player!) and absolutely loved it. So did I get 'skinny' during cross country? Nope! I was still ~180 lbs despite doing distance runs four or five days a week plus 5k races once a week.

After high school, I continued running off and on but also spent a summer building power lines in the middle of nowhere Montana. Doing manual labor for 9 hours a day, 5 days a week with no snacks or junk food nearby can get a man in shape!! During my early college years, I rollerbladed five to ten miles a night, three days a week. At 21 years old, I weight 182 lbs and pants with a 32" waist were actually loose on me. So what the heck happened??!!

Letting It All Go & Getting It Back

Like pretty much everyone, I often let "life" get in the way of getting regular exercise or doing other things that are good for me. Sometimes, you just think you're too busy to exercise or you tell yourself you'll get around to it later. Since getting married, I've worked, I've finished college and I've worked some more. I've cycled through times of running and lifting weights regularly and getting "back in shape" but my weight clearly trended upwards.

Last February, when I saw 229 on the scale and saw myself in the mirror, I was pretty disgusted. I don't like seeing myself nude - I feel sorry for my wife when she has to see me nude! I got a gym membership and started lifting weights and hitting the treadmill (by the way - I killed a few treadmills while working out at BSU several years ago - treadmills don't like it when beefy guys run faster than an 8 minute mile for a few miles). When summer hit, I started riding my bike more and then in the fall, I got back into running on a regular basis and did a 5k on January 1st and managed sub 8 minute miles!

Was it always pleasant to go running or lift weights? No. Did I always feel like getting off my butt and going? No. Did I feel 200 times better for having done it? ABSOLUTELY!! When running at 229 lbs was miserable, I thought about how much easier it would be without the extra pounds. In February of 2009, I was doing 6 mile runs at an 8 minute pace and ENJOYING it again!! I kept thinking to myself, "WHY THE HECK DID I LET MYSELF GO SO BAD BEFORE?" After going through so many cycles of getting in shape and then slacking off and letting myself go again, I'm still amazed that I don't permanently learn my lesson!

I got down to 198 lbs but the layoff in March was a SERIOUS de-motivator! I didn't work out much for three months and, after moving to Price, I had to start over again with getting back in to exercise. I only gained five pounds but certainly lost some muscle and definitely lost some conditioning. Luckily, its been a pretty easy road getting back to running again and so now, this blog is a reminder to ME and to YOU that.... STAYING IN SHAPE IS MUCH EASIER THAN GETTING IN SHAPE!!

Get Off The Couch!!

If you're not exercising on a regular basis, START DOING IT! If you are exercising regularly, KEEP DOING IT!! I always feel so much better when I'm exercising regularly and its also a great way to ensure that I'll be around to see my kids growing up and I'll even be able to participate in their lives. Leslie has been either running or following along to an exercise video a few days a week lately and I'm proud of her - she'll be ready to keep up with the kids too and in the meantime... Hey Baby (wink wink, suggestive eyebrow raise).

I have a goal - and you should have one too!! At 21, I weighed 182 lbs and could go enjoy a five mile run without wheezing, cramping or vomiting. I turn 31 in February of 2010 and I will weight 182 lbs or less and be able to go enjoy a five mile run without the aforementioned wheezing, cramping or vomiting. I have another goal - I'm going to teach my children the value of exercise and teach them to enjoy it by being involved in their activities and participating with them (yeah, I'll be the freakishly tall 'kid' playing short-stop on the T-Ball team!).

Blood, Urine and Red Wine --- We Got a New Bed!!

After ditching our nine year old king size bed (via a trip to the dump) prior to our move from Boise to Price, we've been sleeping on a futon for the last month. Sure, its a quality futon mattress that has springs and supports you well enough that you never feel a futon bar but, its still not a real bed and isn't the most comfortable thing in the world.

For the last month, my pickup, along with my dirt bike and enough other stuff to fill a 5' x 8' trailer and the pickup box have been sitting in Boise. We made a retrieval trip over the 4th of July and with the truck now here, we were able to make the trip to the SLC area for a mattress purchase.

We opted for Denver Mattress Company based primarily on the availability of reputable mattresses that don't cost over $2000. We didn't have much difficulty finding a comfortable bed (and at $500 for a queen size, it fit our budget well too) but we also invested in the Value Pack which includes two pillows, a mattress pad and a bed care and cleaner kit. And just what is the bed care and cleaner kit good for you ask? It includes a protectant spray but also includes a cleaner that's great for blood, urine and red wine. Blood, urine, and red wine?? I went to college and was in a fraternity during my time at UWyo but I still had to ask... what kind of night did you have when its time to clean blood, urine and red wine from your mattress?

And if you think our salesman was the only one enjoying our presence, you're mistaken. I flopped down on the right side of one mattress that already had another salesman sitting on the left side. I let him know I was setting up for a snuggle and even rolled over but apparently he wasn't interested in a good spooning. Oh well, his loss.

Regardless of whatever Hunter S. Thompson'esque adventures the salesmen at Denver Mattress Co embark on (though obviously the non-spooning prude isn't in on those), we're happy to have a real bed again and to now be fully moved in to our rental in Price.

Will it stop raining so that I can ride?

Odd - I'm pretty sure I just moved to the desert and yet its been raining daily for two weeks. I'd REALLY like it to dry out for a while so that I have a good chance to go ride my motorcycle and mountain bike. I still need to find good places to ride each but I have a Spaceballs derived plan for that: COMB THE DESERT!
Apparently, there are some good mountain bike trails north of town so when I'm physically fit enough to ride up a hill, I should have a good time of it. Some co-workers have recommended Huntington Canyon as a good place to find twisty mountain roads fit for a motorcycle so I'll have to give that a try. Two guys at work ride Harley 883 Sportsters so I suppose I can put aside my "Hardley" prejudice and hit them up about a ride or two.
Next week, we're making a trip to Boise to grab the last of our stuff along with my truck and dirt bike so there will be one more two wheeled grin maker that needs put to use. One thing Price is NOT short of though is DIRT and HILLS for doing some trail riding, hill climbing, jumping, etc. I can pretty much just ride across the street for some dirt bike action but the hospital is across town so I'll have to take it easy for a while since I haven't done a dirt ride since late last fall (and I crashed pretty sweet then).

The Pursuit of Happyness

This is one of those blogs that's probably more for my children to read later than for anyone to care about now but, here goes...

Last night, the wife and I watched part of the movie "The Pursuit of Happyness" and it provided a good reminder of why we've just moved to Price. Thanks to Leslie finding a short term teaching job, my unemployment insurance and some savings, things were never bad at all during the three months I was unemployed but that doesn't mean it wasn't a scary experience.

Looking at Haylie and Zander each day reminded me that I was no longer able to provide for their basic needs.
- Would they have food to eat?
- Would they have warm clothes to wear in the winter?
- What if they were hurt and needed medical help while we had no insurance or income?
Thanks to great family and friends, I knew we wouldn't ever be homeless and out on the street but as a husband and father, its my responsibility to provide and not being able to do so was very stressful.

Initially, there were a lot of good jobs to apply for in the Boise area (and even the Salt Lake City area) but after two months, the economy was contracting further and there just weren't any jobs being listed. I interviewed for a few positions but was starting to hear back that most companies were getting 50 to 100 applicants (and sometimes more) for every position and there were a lot of overqualified applicants as well. The outlook became a bit more grim when jobs I had applied for (and in one case, even interviewed for) were no longer available because the companies were no longer hiring at all.

Despite the grim outlook, I had faith that things would be okay. When, through a friend and former co-worker, I heard about a rather promising job opportunity with Emery Telcom in Price, UT I was rather encouraged despite the prospect of a move away from Boise. I continued to look for work in Boise but was barely able to find two relevant job postings a week and wasn't even getting to interview for those.

There was a lot of agonizing over whether to take the Emery Telcom job or to hold out for something in Boise but I honestly believe the Lord was looking out for us and provided this opportunity for us. Price isn't the location we were looking for and taking a cut in pay isn't great but, so far, it looks like our family can be happy here and the job is exactly what I'd like to be doing. It is a HUGE relief to know that I can provide for our family again and that I won't need to tell Haylie why we can't buy clothes or stay in our home.

I have many friends who are or have been in similar or worse situations and I pray that they will find the employment and other opportunities they need to provide for their families and to not look at their children each day wondering how they'll get by.

Price may not be the most beautiful place we've ever been and I'm sure we'll continue to miss beautiful Boise, the many things to do there and especially the great friends we have there but for now, The Pursuit of Happyness for our family takes us directly through Price, Utah.

One Week in Price, Utah

It's now been one week since we arrived in Utah and became... Utarded (I believe that's the scientific, Latin derived term for a person who has become a resident of, or possibly even a transient of, the state of Utah).

I had a few first day observations that made me wish for some form of twitter telepathy (twilepathy?) so I'll go ahead and subject you to them now. These aren't necessarily specific to Price, UT but they just happened to be the first things I saw/did/heard/smelled/whatever.

1) A bumper sticker that said "honk if you enjoy peace and quiet" <- simple but amusing.

2) While waiting to take a pre-employment drug screen (aka, the whiz quiz) at SOS Staffing (they handle the pee for most companies here) two women came in to do employment paperwork wearing pajama pants and ratty t-shirts. What kind of quality employment are you hoping to find if you don't even put on actual pants and a decent shirt when looking for work?

3) You know you're in a small town when getting a storage unit requires you to visit either the GM dealer or the funeral home to fill out paperwork and pay your bill. I chose the GM dealer; I don't plan on paying a funeral home for storage until I'm much older and by then, I expect someone else will be picking up the bill.

4) I went to Subway my first night in Price (the wife and kids didn't show up until the next day) and already met someone to go trail riding with. I went to Albertson's the next morning to grab some breakfast and the checker (I believe he was the manager or assistant manager) closed his lane to go outside and see my motorycle (no, I didn't suggest it). There are some friendly and bike friendly people here.

5) There's a "Cloyd's Floor Store" on main street. I haven't seen Burt Reynolds or Ned Beatty yet but I'm sure they're hiding out somewhere around here.

Kicking off the Blog

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, introducing.... Dave Holzer's first blog posting.

I'm generally an early adopter of technology (free technology at least - my budget doesn't allow for adopting expensive technologies) but I've held off for a long time on blogging, twitter and a few other aspects of social networking. I had to cave in some time and, with a new job and a new location, now seemed like as good a time as any.

So what's the point of this blog anyway?

Well, I don't presume to assume that anyone actually cares what I'm doing or what I have to say but, with any luck, my children will someday get to look back at this and get a better understanding of the person I am/was. In the event that I take some major hit to the head (sometimes a monthly occurrence) and loose my memory (that hasn't happened yet that I remember) I can take a quick read through this as well to find out who I am.

Many of the posts will just be quick snippets or observations (twitter style) and few will likely be very serious because I do tend to find myself amusing and enjoy inflicting my wit (or lack thereof) upon others.

Gentlemen, start your engines. Ladies, start your gentlemen. Let the blogging begin!